Kasey ran past the men sitting on the porch. “Sweetheart, you’re going to be tired before we even begin.” She didn’t reply as she climbed into the jeep and leaned over the seat to dig through a bag in the back.
She climbed out of the Jeep with Leena’s sewing bag and smiled at him. “We have to finish the adjustments on Rhonda’s outfit before the fire.”
Patrick quirked an eyebrow at her. “Oh? And how is it you knew to bring an outfit for her?”
Kasey paused in opening the door and smiled at him. “We know everything, Mr. Blaine.”
Chris laughed. “Here we go again.”
Dade shrugged. “Well, at least we’ll never get fat and lazy, they keep us jumping to stay ahead of them.”
Rhonda and Cora stepped out onto the porch and walked off, heading towards the camp area.
Patrick sat up. “And where are you ladies off to?”
Rhonda turned and smiled at him. “Just for a walk to work off dinner. There’s still plenty of light left Patrick, just relax.”
“Don’t go too far, Coralee.” Dade said softly.
Cora smiled at him. “I won’t. We just want to go get a feel for the area around the fire pit before tonight, can’t be stumbling around in the dark.”
Dade grinned. “You haven’t stumbled a day in your life Cora and you know it.” He watched them walk away. Cora always looked like she was gliding with that long easy stride of hers. He glanced at the shorter woman with her, then again, she didn’t appear to walk either. He motioned towards them with his chin and looked at Chris. “Do any of them ever look like they’re walking? They kind of float.”
Chris laughed. “They do. Except my Kassandra, most of the time she’s a blur going by me.” He looked at Owen. “Did you get a glance at any of the new outfits?”
Owen frowned. “Nope. I swear she knows anytime I’m trying, always calls me right then.”
Steven shrugged. “That’s fine, but it would take that first blow to the guts away if we knew ahead of time.”
A strange feeling suddenly hit Dade. He sat forward with a jerk and looked at the boards. “Cora!” He whispered and was up running before anyone else could sit up.
Dade headed along the path looking for her. Spotting them near the fire pit, he ran faster. Cora was sitting on a bench holding her stomach. Rhonda was standing beside her looking all around. He stopped and dropped down in front of her. “What is it, honey?”
Cora shook her head. “It’s fading now.” She looked up at Rhonda. “You certainly got him here quickly.”
Rhonda continued to look around them. “Sent him the picture of you dropping down clutching your stomach seemed the simplest way to tell him to come now.” She turned to see the other men arriving. “Seems I got the whole Calvary too.”
Steven sat down and tried to catch his breath. “So?”
Cora took a deep breath. “We were just walking around, seeing where the benches were placed and it hit me pretty hard. Not gradually, but like someone kicked me in the stomach.” She looked at Dade. “It’s very faint now, nothing alarming.”
Patrick looked down at Rhonda. “Who was nearby?”
Rhonda sighed. “Too many to tell anything. People were still wandering from the dining hall and walking around.” She looked at Cora. “Maybe fifteen people were close enough at the time?”
Cora nodded. “Yes, there were too many.” She smirked at Patrick. “I don’t think he liked seeing the two that survived hanging out together.”
Patrick clenched his jaw. “I don’t imagine he would.” He pointed at one then the other. “Neither of you are to be anywhere alone, I don’t care if you have to take someone with you to even use the bathroom.”
Rhonda bobbed her head impatiently at him. “I know. I’ve got it, stop harping.” Then she gave him an innocent smile. “Just pay close attention tonight when the dancing begins. He should send out signals with black smoke.”
Patrick dropped his head into his hands and moaned. “You women are going to be the death of me.”
Dade glanced at him as he helped Cora to her feet. “Welcome to our little world, Detective.” He pulled Cora against his shoulder and hugged her tight. “Come on, honey, let’s get you back and get some of Lee’s tea for you.”
Cora sighed and nodded curling herself into his body. “Just stay close, my legs aren’t all that steady yet.”
He winked at her. “I’ll be as close as you need.”
Kevin taped his fingers on his drum impatiently. “So, are they coming back?”
Chris looked over at him and leaned back. “They’ll be here, always seem to arrive at the best opportunity to make a grand entrance.”
Kevin grinned. “Highlight of my young life.” He turned to Steven and smiled. “If they could somehow get Jean to join their heartbreaking little group, I’d be a happy man.”
Steven pursed his lips. “I’ll mention it to Rach, she sees Jean quite often through the school programs. Rachel thinks Jean is one of the better teachers for the kids.”
“Can only hope she’ll teach me a few things,” Kevin said with a smirk.
Dade leaned over towards him. “Be careful what you wish for young friend, you might get more than you want.”
Kevin laughed and then coughed. “Let the games begin.” He said softly looking towards the path where the women were slowly appearing.
Dade straightened up and groaned. “Time to drum.” He started with a soft beat waiting for the others to get in place. Watching them as they moved closer, he shook his head. How was it possible each time they dressed for the dance they looked better than the last time?
Cora was covered in a deep gold. The sleeves were long and had a butterfly effect as her arms moved. The top was held in place with one button and was cut low enough for him to see the rise of those perfect breasts that haunted his every night. Then it fell open to her waist, displaying the slender body his eyes loved to hold.
The skirt rode low on her hips and fell almost to the ground with two slits that went higher than her legs did in the front. With each graceful step a long slender leg would appear briefly, just long enough to taunt him. “Fucking amazing,” he muttered and increased the volume of his drumming the way he knew Cora liked it.
He didn’t want to look away from her, but the other highlight of this was seeing the expression on his friends’ faces. Reluctantly he glanced around.
Chris had his stupid grin on his face, not that he could help it. Leena had chosen a deep pink for Kasey and it made her glow more beautifully than he’d ever seen her. The sleeves fell from her shoulder like wings and with each step they moved to follow her. The top dipped down and teased his eyes, following it further he saw her waist was bare as the fairy moved gently with each step. Her skirt stopped just past her knees in soft folds of pink that gave you a flash of thigh every few steps.
“Mine.” Chris growled before focusing more fully on his drumming again.
Dade grinned and shook his head before checking out Owen’s reaction.
Owen was mesmerized by Leena. She had an ethereal appearance when she walked and it never failed to amaze him. Her rust-colored sleeves were long and slender, hugging her graceful arms. The top opened at her waist to revel a still flat stomach that soon, he imagined, would swell with child. Silver chains rested on the band of the low riding skirt and each movement of her hips sent them sparkling. Her skirt flowed softly around her legs as she walked towards them. Owen was a lucky man.
Turning, Dade glanced over at Patrick beside him.
Patrick patted his heart a few times before resuming his beat. “They’re going to be the death of me.”
Dade looked over at the petite strawberry blonde that Patrick had been guarding for the last few months, as she glided beside Kasey when they stepped into the circle. Leena made her outfit out of dark blue that hugged her tiny hips leaving nothing to the imagination of what lie underneath it. It opened just before the top of her thighs and fell to mold her legs to her knees. Her top dipped down enough so he could see the little freckles between her breasts. A tiny strap held the material tight over them then dropped to reveal every inch of skin several inches past her belly button. Her sleeves flowed out like wings, and when she turned Dade noticed the back covered any of the scaring. She had long netting over her hands and arms in a shade the same as the outfit. Some sort of shimmering dust across her face made the fading scars disappear completely.
“Hello, Rhonda.” Kevin whispered to Patrick and got a snarl in return. Kevin waited until after he’d seen them before picking up his drum.
Dade looked over to see Steven grinning, as he watched Rachel come towards him. She was dressed in a shimmering black with a long skirt that rode low across her hips and fell to the ground. There was only one slit that revealed the little witch tattoo on her leg with each step. Her top had long tight sleeves and hugged her breasts before falling loosely to her waist.
He watched Steven grin wider as she walked over. He knew exactly what was under that outfit.
“Angel, will you come home with me?” He said softly when she stepped in front of him.
Reaching down, she grabbed a handful of hair and kissed him until her breath was short. “Absolutely, Doctor.” Then she turned and danced away.
Kevin groaned. “I hate you guys.” He shook his head and tried to find the rhythm again.
Owen motioned to Leena with a jerk of his head. She smiled and glided over to him. “If you looked any better, baby, I’d pass out.”
She smiled and leaned down to lick his grinning lips. “Don’t pass out on me yet, I have plans for you later.”
Kevin groaned again and Dade smiled even though he was jealous as hell of his friends hooking up with the women.
Chris grinned as Kasey danced through the drummers to him. His eyes watched the fairy move with her body. When she stood in front of him, he leaned over his drum and ran his tongue around it. She hugged his head for a moment then smiled at him and went to take her place in the circle.
Kevin hissed out a breath. “Who needs satellite TV with you guys around.”
Charlie sat down beside Dade and grinned. “Guess the fire is high enough to warm them to dance.”
Kevin snorted, “I’m gonna need a fan in a minute.”
Steven watched Rachel move over to dance slowly right in front of him. His eyes caressed over her not missing a movement. She smiled as she turned and flicked her tongue ring out between her teeth at him. “Slow burn all night, angel,” he whispered as she moved away.
Kevin groaned and looked at Dade. He motioned with his head to Cora. “If she comes over to you, I’m going to drop to the ground and beg you all to teach me how you do that.”
Dade didn’t glance away from Cora as he drummed but he grinned acknowledging he’d heard. Straightening up a bit further he changed his beat to a deeper rhythm.
Cora turned to face him and began coming towards slowly moving to the sound of his drum only. As she came closer, she grinned. “Dade Jones, you’re being a bad boy.” She continued to dance when she was a foot from him.
He grinned. “Can’t help it, honey, you look so good I had to call you over for a closer look.”
Smiling, she bent down slowly until her face was a few inches from his. “You’re forgiven, this time.” She pulled his long hair until his face was tipped up to hers and moved her lips over his a few times.
His tongue tasted her lips and he almost lost the beat when her hand tightened and pulled him closer so his tongue could dance inside her mouth with hers. She smiled down at him as she straightened away and turned to dance with the others. “Fuck!” He hissed under his breath.
Kevin shook his head. “I salute you, Jones, amazing. Jealous as shit, but still amazing.” He turned to search the crowd and saw Jean had worked her way forward to dance with Kasey. “Just keeps getting better and better.”
Dade turned to look at Charlie and hoped he didn’t have that same slobbering kind of expression on his face as the older man did, then again who could blame him.
Patrick set his drum aside. “Need to stretch my legs, gents.” He got up and headed to where Justin was standing.
Cora and Rhonda were circling past the drummers, dancing closer and closer to each other with every step. Their movements were erotic and suggestive and every drummer there had no choice but to watch them.
Dade glared at them. “Shit,” he muttered getting Steven’s attention. They both looked at the women and knew they weren’t caught up in the drumming but dancing there saying ‘come finish what you started’ to the killer.
Steven leaned over to nudge Chris lightly and motioned to Patrick and Justin who were standing back studying the crowd. “Play time’s over.”
Cora made eye contact with Dade and looked towards the drummers. She had picked up something and it was coming from within the drummers. He looked over to Patrick then tilted his head to the men sitting with him.
Patrick stood back and slowly looked at each drummer.
Dade saw there had to be at least twenty drummers there, and other then the ones that were obviously happy on herbs, as they preferred to call it. How would he be able to tell which one she noticed?
Standing, Dade waited until Leena passed him and whispered to her, “Tell those two to move away and see if the vibes change.” She inclined her head telling him she’d heard him but she hadn’t once altered a step.
He watched Leena work her way towards the two to dance between them and the drummers for a second. As she turned to continue with the circle Cora and Rhonda separated and went in opposite directions.
Dade’s eyes followed Cora until she was in front of Patrick, her head was down focusing on sensing. Patrick’s eyes scanned the drummers as she continued to speak to him.
Patrick caught Dade’s attention and nodded. It was definitely coming from the drummers. “Keep going,” he said to Steven. Stopping his drumming, he carried his drum to the outside of the circle. Cora walked over and picked up a bottle of water. “You’re sure?” He said softly as he picked up his own bottle.
She nodded. “It was a dark but happy emotion when we were right in front, then it turned to something close to anger as we walked away.”
Dade nodded. “Let’s go stand closer and talk, see if you can zero in.”
“I just need to get Rhonda’s attention, she’s going to try to enhance his thoughts and try to see if he’ll break from the drumming and we’ll see who it is.”
He started walking towards the drummers’ area. “Will that work?”
Cora smiled at someone as they walked by and whispered. “I hope so.” She looked at him for a moment when they stopped. “Stay close.”
“I won’t leave you alone, honey.” He said as he brushed his fingers down her arm.
Cora caught Rhonda’s attention as she moved, she motioned to the drummers and then back to her as Rhonda slowly danced to a spot beside the drummers. A few of the drummers turned to watch her dance to their efforts. Rhonda smiled at them all encouragingly and lifted her arms slowly over her head and swayed her hips a little more for them.
Cora clutched her hand over her stomach and Dade nodded.
It was hard to focus, but Rhonda sent strength to Cora so they could both push the thoughts on the dark energy. Using every bit of her ability, Cora sought out the darkest emotions and focused on them. You need to go for a walk. You can’t stay and watch this filth any more. So vile. So wrong. She pushed as hard as she could, hoping it would reach the right mind. Being so closely connected to Rhonda, she felt the scars on her back burning from the movements, but she continued to move anyway.
Dade’s body tensed as he watched two drummers stand up at the same instant. He sighed as he watched old Charlie get up and walk over to the wood stacked around the edge and toss a few pieces in. Glancing back at the drummers he saw Steven motion with his head. Nodding, he glanced over at Patrick to bring his attention to the other drummer now walking off into the darkened area near a building.
Patrick nodded and stepped away to follow him.
They continued to drum and wait for Patrick to return. Cora was still holding her stomach and had placed a hand on Leena who came to stand with her. “It’s so strong,” she gasped, “I need to sit, my legs are going to give out.”
Dade motioned with his chin to a small log just outside the area, but close enough he’d be able to hear if she needed him. “Help her over there will you, Lee? Stay with her I’m not moving until we find out what Patrick saw.”
Leena nodded and placed her arm around Cora and led her slowly to the log. Sitting her down, she sat beside her and looked around at the crowd of people still at the circle. “Let me know if it changes in any way. This may be our only chance.”
Patrick walked back and shook his head, then went to stand beside Dade. “Just taking a leak and now he’s sitting over there in front of the bathroom baking his brain to a higher level of wasted.”
“Fuck,” Dade swore. “Cora had to sit it was so strong. He’s definitely here.” He watched Chris set his drum aside and move closer to them.
Another drummer got up and looked Rhonda up and down with a grin on his face, then walked to the cooler and grabbed beer. He stood there drinking it watching all the dancers.
Dade glanced over to see Cora bent over her knees. “He’s right in front of our fucking faces.” He growled to Chris.
Chris looked over at Rhonda and nodded. She closed her eyes while continuing to move and concentrating harder. Kasey and Rachel were dancing slowly, looking around the fire.
Rachel stopped and looked at the woodpile and then turned and looked around the circle then back to the drummers. Steven straightened watching her every move.
Dade’s head swung around and he studied Cora. Leena was rubbing Cora’s back as she bent over clutching her knees, a worried look on her face. He jerked his head back to Patrick. “Where’s Charlie?”
Patrick looked around. “He was just right here.” He turned in a circle looking into the shadows. “Fuck!” He growled.
Justin came over quickly. “Who?” He said in a hiss.
Dade shook his head. “It’s so strong Cora’s going to pass out soon, the only one missing is Charlie.”
Justin’s eyes widened but he nodded and glanced over to Kevin still drumming. Kevin inclined his head and slowed his drumming until he could set it aside unnoticed, got up and went over to the men. “Did you see where Charlie went?”
Kevin frowned. “Charlie?” He looked around. “He got up and put wood on the fire…” He looked to the woodpile then the drummers. “Where’d he go?”
Justin sent Gwen a look. She gave him a shaky smile and continued to dance with Jean, moving in front of the drummers. “Let’s go. Gwen will keep a watch here.”
Owen was up and heading to Cora as soon as Dade nodded to him.
Steven motioned to the other three women still dancing and they gracefully worked their way out of the circle.
Cora shook her head and gasped. “Don’t touch me, Owen, I want him caught.”
Rhonda knelt to her. “I’ve got a good lock on him, I’ll keep sending it and see if we can’t flush him out further.”
Chris looked around. “We have to find Charlie.”
Leena looked up. “You think its Charlie?” She gave him a doubtful look.
Dade nodded. “He just vanished. He was putting wood on the fire one minute, and when I looked back, he was gone. Cora got worse after that. I think he’s out there plotting…watching.” He swung his drum around behind him and reached down for Cora’s arm. “Let’s go wander towards that grove and see if we can’t get him to follow.”
Rhonda looked at him as they started walking slowly with Cora between them struggling to take each step. “Do you think if I were to send you what Cora and I are feeling you could use that?”
Dade clenched his jaw. “I don’t know but we’re going to try.” He pulled Cora to lean more heavily on him. “She can’t keep this up for much longer.”
His heart beat so fast he wasn’t sure he could walk. Each step took so much concentration.
They were here.
All of them.
He was being handed the opportunity to correct his failures.
He would not fail this time. The women would be cleansed and free at last.